Falls City Engineer November/December 2016

Transcription

1 Falls City Engineer November/December 2016 VOL. 8, Issue 6 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District Louisville hosts USACE district command course page 13 Louisville bids adieu to the Beckhams page 9 Jack Sweeney

2 Commander s Comments Falls City Engineer Vol. 8, Issue 6 District Commander Col. Christopher G. Beck Public Affairs Chief Todd Hornback Send articles to Louisville District Public Affairs office at: todd.j.hornback@usace.army.mil U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CELRL-PA P.O. Box 59 Louisville, KY Falls City Engineer is an unofficial publication under AR 360-1, published bimonthly for Louisville District employees and members of the public by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CELRL-PA, P.O. Box 59, Louisville, Ky under supervision of the public affairs office. Views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army or the Corps of Engineers. Ladies and Gentlemen, First of all I wanted to wish all of you a Happy Holiday season and hope that you get to spend some time with family and friends. There are several things in this issue that highlight the great achievements of the district over the last year including the Small Business Engineer of the Year, environmental team awards, and Air Force design achievements. These are only a small example of the great things that you all have accomplished over the last year and you should be very proud. In addition to the awards, there are two significant projects highlighted this month. First, we conducted a groundbreaking for a boiler plant replacement project at the VA Hines Medical Center. This project is critically important to support our veterans at the second largest VA campus in the U.S. They came to us based on our strong reputation, which is built on projects like the Kingsolver Elementary School project at Fort Knox that is finishing up. Our ability to deliver quality projects will keep these agencies coming back to us to support their requirements well done! Finally, as we head into the holidays you should all reflect on the messages that Brig. Gen. Toy gave to our team during his initial town hall as the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander. Our focus should always be on Building Strong and Taking Care of People because people are what help us deliver our mission. I have had the opportunity to send-off several senior Col. Christopher G. Beck Commander and District Engineer Louisville District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers members of our team over the last several weeks as these folks retire with more than 40 years of service to our nation in some cases. These people, and all of you, are what make our district successful and ensure our strong future! I look forward to seeing you all back after the holidays so please be safe and enjoy this season. Thanks again for all that you do! Building Strong and Taking Care of People! On the cover: District Command Course participants walk along the new Lewis and Clark Bridge connecting the east end of Louisville with Indiana. Please conserve: Think before you print. Contents New flood mapping system serves Falmouth 3 Green River Dam deterioration 4 Environmental teams receive accolades 5 VA Hines boiler plant breaks ground 6 Defense Logistics Agency recognizes USACE employee 6 Kingslover Elementary comes to life as furniture moves in 7 Louisville earns two Air Force Design Awards 8 Louisville bids adieu to the Beckhams 9 Going above and beyond for small business 10 Sojourn in Afghanistan 11 Leadership development class tours the lower Ohio 12 Louisville hosts USACE district command course 13 LRD Commander Brig. Gen. Mark Toy gives rousing remarks 13 Guest Editor: Lori Kullberg BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 2

3 Civil Works New flood mapping system serves Falmouth Carol Labashosky, public affairs A new Flood Inundation Mapping System is available for the community of Falmouth, Kentucky to increase their knowledge to help in flood warning preparedness in case of high water on the Licking River. The Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and the National Weather Service were able to utilize funds from the Silver Jackets program to create computer inundation mapping to better manage flood risk awareness. The Silver Jackets main focus is to reduce the risks of flooding. On the 17-mile stretch of the Licking River, the maps include the city of Falmouth with gages at Catawba and at the south Fork Licking River at Hayes. With the unique hands-on tool, citizens can evaluate river flooding before it occurs. A person can select various river stages from the website: FloodMapper/Pages/default.aspx and use a slide bar to see what locations would be impacted or inundated at various elevations on the stream gages in the river. The buildings and streets are easily identifiable. Flood mapping is a very effective use of dollars to reduce flood risk, said Brandon Brummett, Louisville District Army Corps of Engineers outreach coordinator. He said that USGS worked with the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the local governments to place stream gages in the Licking River. Then, inhouse subject matter experts from the district s Hydrology and Hydraulics section developed a model which was translated to a USGS graphic map. The maps tie in with what the stream gages show, and along with the National Weather Service forecasts, that means better warnings can be obtained. This information enables the citizens of the county to make better decisions to save lives, property and businesses. Geography was an issue for Falmouth so no structural solutions could reduce flood risk, Brummett said. The Corps built a warning system and a building for the emergency responders to coordinate Participants from the Flood Inundation kick-off meeting from left to right: Kentucky State Rep. Tom McKee, Pendleton County Emergency Manager; Mike Moore, Pendleton County Judge Executive David Fields; Former Pendleton County Judge Executive Henry Bertram; Louisville District Outreach Coordinator Brandon Brummett; USGS Jeremiah Lant, USGS Mike Griffin, USGS Tom Ruby, National Weather Service Julia Dian-Reed; and Trent Schade with the National Weather Service. from on the Licking River in The mapping system helps responders working in the emergency operations building to better plan their response, additionally. It allows citizens to take personal responsibility for their safety, Brummett said. It s available to everyone. An illustration for the USCG Flood Inundation Mapper shows a portion of the Licking River and surrounding topography. Carol Labashosky BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 3

4 Green River Dam deterioration prompts Corps to advise public to avoid the area Pictured above is a segment of the upstream face of ogee weir dam. Carol Labashosky, public affairs The Green River Dam #6, located near Brownsville, Kentucky, is deteriorating. In the interest of public safety at the dam site, the public needs to keep out of the area and off the structures. Recreational boaters and those who canoe should stay clear of the area and not approach the upstream side of the dam. The vertical lock walls are continuing to be undermined as well as the main dam concrete section. These elements are likely to collapse in the near future. While low head dams always present dangers to recreational boaters, the current condition of the dam is hazardous. This dam structure is classified Low Hazard which indicates that there are no life safety risks with the release of water due to a failure of the structure. There is no commercial navigation so there are little to no economic consequences with a failure. When the main structure fully breaches an additional increase in flow is expected to occur downstream but would have no impacts. Water is flowing through a void under the right side of the dam structure, near its joint with the lock wall. This condition, monitored by USACE, indicates a partial failure of the dam. In this circumstance, during periods of low flow, water has traveled under the dam as opposed to traveling over it and has caused scouring. The lock and dam were built in and put into operation in Due to a lack of commercial navigation, USACE ceased operations at Lock and Dam 6 in A disposition study has been completed for this structure, and the Corps continues to assess conditions at the dam. Pictured iabove s a segment of the upstream face of Ogee Weir Dam Pictured here is the downstream face of the Ogee Weir Dam. Note under flow of Green River at interface with the Lock Wall. Carol Labashosky Carol Labashosky BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 4

5 Environmental Environmental teams receive accolades The FUDS team steals the spotlight in New Orleans. Pictured (left to right) are Nora Hawk, Christopher Evans, Julian Chu, and Rick Meadows with the FUDS dragon award. Col. Christopher Beck presents the Best in Show award to Vicky Schneider. Debra Hunter The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District was recognized at the FY16 Annual Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) Program and Legal Review conference in New Orleans, Louisiana Nov. 1-3 for having the best project successes and lessons learned presentations during the conference. FUDS Project Manager Rick Meadows provided a presentation on the environmental cleanup at Plum Brook Ordnance Works in West Virginia and Nora Hawk, Acting Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Military/Environmental Program Manager provided a division level presentation titled: A New FUDS Program Manager s Perspective on Achieving Excellence in USACE s FUDS Program Mission Execution. Vicky Schneider, Louisville District Assistant District Counsel, presented on the Legal Successes and Lessons Learned based on the resolution of a legal issue that challenged the execution of a FUDS project or resolution of FUDS PRP liability. This earned the team the Best in Show award, which was presented by Louisville District Commander Col. Christopher Beck during November s Environmental Program Review Board. Additionally, the Louisville District was applauded for being the only district to achieve a green rating on all of the FY16 FUDS Program Success Indicators out of seven FUDS divisions and 13 FUDS districts. As a district and a division, we had a really good meeting in New Orleans, said Andrew Dettmer, FUDS Program Manager. The recognition we received anindication of the great work our teams are doing with the FUDS program. AEC recognizes Louisville team As a result of the Louisville District s highly successful on-going work with Army Environmental Command (AEC), the leadership from AEC visited the Louisville District Office on Oct. 26, 2016, to thank key district staff for their hard work and efforts on AEC projects, including the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant, the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Jefferson Proving Ground, and numerous others. AEC leadership in attendance included AEC Commander Col. Tim Greenhaw; Command Sgt. Maj. Tony Broadnax; AEC Technical Director Randy Cerar; AEC Midwest ESSD, Team Lead Regions 5 and 7 Joan Jackson; and Chief Future, Communications and Engagements David Wilcox. Debra Hunter BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 5

6 Interagency and International Services VA Hines boiler plant breaks ground Katie Newton, public affairs On Nov. 10, 2016 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Louisville District partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the groundbreaking of a new boiler plant at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois. The $49 million project will include construction of a new physical plant to serve a 3.3 million-square-foot hospital campus. It will house four new boilers and an emergency diesel engine generator and connection and new construction of portions of the campus stream distribution system. Additionally, the project includes decommissioning and demolition of the Reserve existing boiler plant. We are excited and look forward to working with our partners at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and Walsh Federal JV for the successful execution of this vital project. We ve had great success working with Walsh Federal previously on another award winning project; and look to bring that commitment to excellence to this effort too, said Melody Thompson, Project Manager, USACE Louisville District. This project will provide critical infrastructure upgrades to support the medical facilities across the 147- acre campus that includes a hospital which offers specialized clinical programs including Spinal Cord Injury, Neurosurgery, Radiation Therapy and Cardiovascular Surgery. Coordination, communication and partnering among our team is going to be critical to our success, said Thompson. As always our commitment is to provide a successful project that helps VA in their efforts to honor our Veterans with quality healthcare services. The prime contractor, Walsh Federal Joint Venture, is expected to complete construction in spring Defense Logistics Agency recognizes USACE employee for roof repair Photos courtesy of Hines VA Hospital USACE Tim McClellan, project engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District Reserve section, engineering branch, received a Letter of Appreciation from Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Strategic Materials for his work on the roof repair project at Scotia, New York. This was a $1.8 million project comprised of two 125,000 square-foot warehouse buildings with deteriorating roofing systems. McClellan led the engineering design effort in providing inspection services, recommended solutions, design, IGE, review of contractor proposals, review of contractor submittals, and construction site visits. McClellan has been responsible for managing architectengineer contracts for both the Air Force and Army Reserve Programs nationwide since The letter was signed by Director of Material Management Gary Porter. BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 6

7 Military Kingsolver Elementary comes to life as furniture moves in Katie Newton, public affairs In early November furniture began filling the halls of the new Kingsolver Elementary School at Fort Knox, Kentucky preparing for its completion. The keys to the new $32.7 million school will be handed over to the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) in late December. The 21st Century School includes 635 student stations within the new concept of learning hubs or neighborhoods, as well as learning studios and open-area common spaces for students. Adaptable open spaces and a flexible stage, which can be used for theater-inthe-round performances were incorporated into the school to promote a versatile learning environment. The school has four learning hubs each a different color to fit a total of 635 student stations. The rooms were designed with adjustable panels to give instructors the flexibility to arrange the room as needed for a more conducive learning environment. The building is full of green learning features which will allow students to learn about the building around them and its impacts to the environment. There is an interactive component to keep students engaged with energy dashboards showing energy and water usage for each neighborhood allowing students to learn how the building around them affects the environment. Signage placed throughout the school will explain many of the features and green construction techniques. For example, one sign titled Rain s Journey will be fixed to a large clear storm drain pipe coming from the roof so students can better understand the water s path to the three large bioretention ponds for stormwater management. Katie Newton BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 7

8 Louisville earns two Air Force Design Awards Katie Newton, public affairs Two Louisville District projects were recognized as part of the 2016 U.S. Air Force Design Awards, which recognize the outstanding teamwork required to produce quality Air Force facilities. The district won a merit award for the design of the Defense Information Systems Agency Global Operations Command Facility at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. The 162,000 square foot facility houses the largest cyber operations center in the United States. The district also earned a citation award for the addition to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. The museum, which is the world s largest military aviation museum, has approximately one million visitors each year. The mega-expansion involved incorporating a new fourth hanger that was designed to appear nearly identical to its neighbor. The winning projects epitomize the skill and professionalism of our design teams, said Lt. Gen. John Cooper, deputy chief of staff for logistics, engineering, and force protection, U.S. Air Force. Each organization's service, enthusiasm, and dedication are a source of inspiration and pride. Thanks for making things better for all of us - I am proud to have these design teams supporting the Air Force civil engineer team. Defense Information Systems Global Operations Command Facility at Scott Air Force Base. National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Jack Sweeney National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Defense Information Systems Global Operations Command Facility at Scott Air Force Base. BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 8

9 In the Spotlight Louisville bids adieu to the Beckhams U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District project managers Glen and Theresa Beckham are saying farewell to Louisville next month as Glen retires after 41 years in the district and Theresa begins a new chapter leading a mega-project for the USACE Sacramento District. Katie Newton, public affairs A combined 78 years of experience will walk out of the Louisville District in January as project managers and powerduo Glen and Theresa Beckham depart for sunny California. Glen, who is retiring after 41 years of federal service is packing up to follow Theresa to her new job as a project manager leading a mega-project for the Corps of Engineers Sacramento District. Glen and Theresa are dedicated public servants who have represented the district and the Corps well over their careers, said Sharon Bond, chief, planning branch. They have been a vital part of our project management division and the Louisville District family and will be missed. We wish them well as Theresa transitions into her new role as project manager on the Folsom Dam mega-project and Glen enjoys the well-deserved benefits of retirement. Glen who has been with the Louisville District his entire career spent his first 25 years in the district s planning division. There he developed computer models and performed the economic analyses that helped to justify the construction of Olmsted and McAlpine Locks and Dams. He developed a simulation model to justify the gate lifter crane at McAlpine Locks and Dam, which earned him a number of awards for his efforts. He also led the planning team that set the Corps national record for the shortest amount of time to investigate and remediate an emergency streambank stabilization problem. The most recent 16 years of his career have been spent in the environmental section of the military branch as the program manager for the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) which included management of the Ravenna Army Ammunition Plant in Ravenna, Ohio. I focused on building and restoring relationships between the Army customers and the Ohio EPA, said Beckham. Under Glen s leadership Ravenna and the IRP program thrived and grew in the Louisville District from a less than $1 million per year program to a record high of approximately $24 million in For this, Glen won the Louisville District Project Manager of the Year award and the Distinguished Civilian Award from the Governor of Ohio at the recommendation of the Adjutant General of Ohio. As he reflects on his career, Glen says he Katie Newton will truly miss all of the people he has worked with along the way. I ve been here so long because I always enjoy the people I work with, said Glen. Together we ve experienced a lot of challenges. We always work hard and have fun together. It s been a great team experience. Theresa s dedication to the team has been no different as she has spent 37 years in the district working primarily as a senior planner and project manager in Planning, Programs, and Project Management Division overseeing civil works projects including Little Duck Creek; environmental infrastructure projects; and levee rehabilitation projects such as the Russell Allison-Ambraw, Brevoort, Wabash Levee Unit No. 5, and Paducah levees in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. One of her most notable achievements was receiving the Planning Excellence Award as the lead planner and project manager for the Ohio River Shoreline, Paducah, Kentucky, Flood Risk Management Reconstruction Project one of the nation s first reconstruction projects. Her efforts ultimately led to Congressional authorization for reconstruction of the project, which has served as a resource for subsequent agency decisions. Currently, Theresa serves as the project manager for the Michigan FUDS Projects in the environmental support section. I have learned so much while working in the Louisville District. I will greatly miss the people and the relationships we ve built, said Theresa. I thank the many, many people whose paths have met with mine throughout my years at the Corps. It has truly been an awesome experience. Theresa is looking to the future as she will be jumping right in as the project manager at Sacramento District s Mega- Project Center in the Joint Federal Project Office, coordinating the efforts of four different agencies on the Folsom Dam Raise Project. I m looking forward to the growth opportunity and the challenge of working with the various agencies, said Beckham and the sunny weather is a perk, too. Her partner in crime will be living up his retirement and plans to soak up the sunny climate. I hope to thoroughly enjoy the outdoors and spend time mountain bik- Continues on page 10 BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 9

10 Continued from page 9 ing, fly fishing, and kayaking, said Glen. Also I ve been a beekeeper for a while, so I would like to continue doing that maybe even work with a commercial bee company. No matter which mountain bike trails he is led down Glen has one non-negotiable item on his agenda having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich waiting for Theresa when she gets home from work. He s promised he will do that for me, said Theresa, kiddingly. Glen joked, Can I warm your slippers, too? Everyone agrees the Beckhams will leave a sizeable hole in the hearts of the Louisville District upon their departure. Going above and beyond for small business Lori Kullberg, public affairs Louisville District s Chief of Environmental Branch Chris Karem was recently awarded the FY16 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Small Business Program Manager/Engineer Professional of the Year award. The USACE Small Business Program Award recognizes the professional who strongly supports the small business program, through initiatives that facilitated significant contract and grant awards. It cites significant long-term growth and interest in the district s program. Karem was selected to receive this award, specifically, because of his participation in special programs and public relations that resulted in continued improvement of the small business program. He initiated a Brown Bag program in which small business firms provided group capability presentations to Environmental Engineering Division. The program has been a success for many years and it continued to be a success in FY16 with seven sessions, including eight firms represented by small disadvantaged, women-owned, and a service- disabled veteran-owned. Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite (left) and Louisville District Commander, Col. Christopher Beck (right) present Chris Karem with the FY16 USACE Small Business Engineer of the Year Award during the 2016 Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Small Business Conference. Karem also supports the Louisville District Federal Forum, and he met with numerous contractors for one-on-one matchmaking sessions. Karem s initiatives consistently resulted in increased contract awards and opportunities for small business. Additionally, Karem facilitated procedures that resulted in a collaborative/team approach that included Everyone had such mixed emotions when the news spread about their departures, said David Dierken, Chief, environmental support section. Of course we are so happy with Theresa s promotion and Glen s retirement, however; we won t have their company at work anymore. We will miss our friends dearly. the involvement of the Deputy for Small Business, Crystal May, in the acquisition process. Supporting small business is the culture in this district evidenced by the fact that I thought I was just doing what was expected of me and I received a national award for going above and beyond, Karem said. BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 10 HQ ACE-IT

11 In the Spotlight Sojourn Guest columnist, Quyet La, Louisville District employee currently deployed in Afghanistan Afghanistan has served as a temporary it isn't an easy job being in leadership, home for many throughout history: Persians, Alexander the Great, Kushans, Rus- As a denizen of Afghanistan, there are especially in Afghanistan. sians, and Americans (to name a few) certain experiences that induct you to I have been added to the list of people to Afghanistan surviving a missile attack, experience a sojourn in Afghanistan from shopping at the bazaar, and flying on a April 2016 to April military helicopter, to name a few. While in theater (as we call it here), I Sometimes, it is easy to forget that serve as the project manager and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for the before impact, the blaring sound of In- Afghanistan is, indeed, a war-zone. Just congressionally mandated Task Force coming! Incoming! Incoming! warns of Protect Our Warfighters and Electrical the indirect fire (IDF) zipping through the Resources (TF POWER) program. As air before that climatic bang. The sirens the electrical safety surveillance arm for scream with urgency, alerting us to don the military, TF POWER s mission is to our interceptor body armor (IBA) and ensure that all Department of Defense make haste to the bunkers - a concrete occupied facilities in Afghanistan are electrically safe for 12,000+ U.S. soldiers and rounding it. Helicopters control the air cell with green and brown sandbags sur- 20,000+ civilian personnel. to perform searches. Instinctively, that The deployment atmosphere offers frenzied feeling captures the mind and a unique challenge when compared to countenance, both unease and excitement that of the states with its strict electrical take over. Welcome to "Rocket City." policies. Until recently, Afghanistan, for The market, or bazaar, is filled with U.S. Forces, was considered an expeditionary establishment where facilities as Soldiers pass by. One can hear the merchants selling goods out in the open were constructed with limited long-term shopkeepers enticing the possible buyers: considerations of electrical regulations. My friend, please come in. For you, 40 Afghanistan has now solidified itself as percent discount. The local Afghans (the an enduring location and demands that denizens) sell a variety of things such as abiding by established National Electrical handmade Persian rugs, cashmere scarfs, Code (NEC) and British Standard (BS) scintillating gemstones, lapis lazuli which must be at the forefront of operations. are blue spiritual stones native to Afghanistan, and patches for the servicemen Despite being a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) civilian, interaction with outfits. military officers is frequent. This interaction included briefings to top level military include making suits, tailoring, engraving, The shopkeepers also offer services that officers such as colonels and generals. Being in the military environment offers the Afghan products, there are lots of knock- and many others. Beyond the authentic vantage point to appreciate the challenges off items that are made in China, sold in accompanying these respective officers; Afghanistan, purchased by Americans, Georgians, Mongolians, Germans, and other coalition forces. At the helicopter flight counter, a sign reminds everyone of the requirements for air mobilization from base to base including helmet, long-sleeve shirts, eye protection, and 40 pounds worth of bulletproof Kevlar gear. As one approaches the helicopter, the force of the wind pushes you back slightly before the heat hits you while it forges into the body. Midflight, the altitude has slightly chilled air and it grazes your body, offering a tranquilizing feeling. One's eyes may lower directly downward at the countryside through the back entrance and the gunner's opening; a converse to the familiar commercial airplanes behind a window of a pressurized cabin. There are few things more august than being on a Black Hawk between the snow covered mountains and the celestial glistening the valley and river below. Afghanistan military deployment an experience like no other. Quyet La USACE BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 11

12 News Briefs Leadership Development class tours the lower Ohio Katie Newton, public affairs On Nov , the Louisville District Leadership Development Program (LDP) Level II class packed their boots and hit the road for the lower Ohio River. The team toured the $3 billion mega-project, Olmsted Locks and Dam, which will replace the aging infrastructure of Locks and Dams 52 and 53 upon its completion in The commodities that pass through Olmsted the hub of the nation s inland waterway transportation system are comparable to the passenger traffic at Dallas Love Field, Atlanta Hartsfield, Chicago O Hare and Los Angeles International airports combined. Students got a first-hand look at the engineering marvel and a tour led by Resident Engineer Jeremiah Manning; Capt. Jeremy Nichols, executive officer; Carter Bagley, chief, contract management at Olmsted; and fellow class member Steve Smith, who serves as a construction representative on site. I was generally aware of the project, but seeing things in person was quite the experience, said LDP member Corey White who was visiting the site for the first time. Pictures and words don't do it justice; "impressive" doesn't capture the magnitude of everything there, said White. Next, participants headed back up the river to see the contrast from the modern project of Olmsted in touring the antiquated Lock and Dam 52 in Brookport, LDP II participants recieve a briefing at Lock and Dam 52 from Brad Stout, Assistant Operations Manager. Illinois. The group s fellow classmate Brad Stout, Assistant Operations Manager, and Lockmaster Luther Helland led tours across the lockwall explaining how the wooden wickets are raised manually with a crochet-like hook and the help of the 1920s steam-powered maneuver boat. Its pedal-operated crane hooks to the rods and lifts the wickets out of the water. Seeing the state of the locks and the wickets there, showed me exactly why we need Olmsted in the first place, said White. It makes you appreciate the job that guys like Luther and Brad are doing to keep things running as smoothly as possible until Olmsted is up and running. The class also got an opportunity to see how the Corps Locks and Dams are vital to industry on the river. Participants toured the Ingram Barge Lines Paducah, Kentucky office and saw first-hand what it takes to be a crew member aboard an Ingram Barge. I typically work day in and day out in the office with limited interaction or visibility to projects, so I relished the chance to see firsthand the impact the Corps has beyond the walls of the federal building, said LDP member Anne Mulhall. Not only was the experience of seeing Olmsted and Lock and Dam 52 educational and enlightening, but it also provided me with an entirely new appreciation for my co-workers in the field who work tirelessly, at times in less than optimal conditions, to ensure the Corps is successful and our customers can continue to use the inland waterways. Katie Newton The LDP II group tours the Olmsted Dam construction site on Nov. 16. BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 12

13 News Briefs Louisville hosts USACE district command course Lori Kullberg, public affairs The Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District hosted a District Command Course in the district office October Seventeen new district commanders from throughout the United States as well as Japan converged on Louisville for continued learning and to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of corporate executive leadership and to share command experiences and knowledge. Developing new Commanders in training such as this allows them to have the tools they need for success in command after the first 90 days. The senior mentor for the course was the Army Corps of Engineers Deputy Chief of Engineers, Maj. Gen. Richard Stevens. He led each day s discussions. Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Mark Toy, spoke to the group emphasizing his key message taking care of people, and what it means to him and how district commanders can best implement and pass on the message to evoke positive change. Army Corps of Engineers Commander, Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite rounded out the week-long course briefing the participants on his perspective of the Total Engineer Force. Briefers included USACE Leadership, major subordinate command leader- District Command course participants view the south-end entrance of the tunnel going to the Lewis and Clark Bridge. ship, district leadership, a congressman, construction firm executives, a business school professor, NORTHCOM staff, sponsors, customers, and stakeholders. In addition, 21 deputy commanders received a two-day training led by Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Deputy Commander Col. Benjamin Bigelow, on business management, human resources, district safety and emergency operations programs. Phase II of the Pre-Command Course began this summer. Jack Sweeney LRD Commander Brig. Gen. Mark Toy gives rousing remarks Carol Labashosky, public affairs Debra Hunter Great Lakes and Ohio River Division (LRD) Brig. Gen. Mark Toy conducted a town hall meeting with the Louisville District on Nov. 8 at the Seelbach Hotel. Toy emphasized taking care of people. If you take care of people, they will take care of you, he said. He queried the district personnel about mentoring and sponsoring new people. It s getting back to basics, he said. Leaders were encouraged to communicate with their subordinates and listen to their concerns to foster higher morale. Toy spoke about strengthening the foundation of the Corps using the acronym DRIVE, which means developing future talent; refining internal management; improving regional processes; placing value on open communication and empowering multidisciplinary teams. Building Strong and Taking Care of People is what will lead the LRD team forward, according to Toy. BUILDING STRONG Volume 8, Issue 6 13